The hopes of producers, distributors and dealers hang on a wall by marcel hutfilz. Folded together, with two wheels. E-scooters – pedal scooters with electric drive – were sold by the store owner in berlin years ago with increasing demand.
And this despite the fact that in this country there was still no approval for the little runabouts on roads and cycle paths. The federal government has now cleared the way for this – on the 15. June the corresponding regulation should come into force. The industry smells the rough stuff. Will germany become e-tretroller-land?
Hat felt assumes "massive growth rates" in the retail sector. There aren’t many competitors yet, says the dealer in electric mobility vehicles. "We are still scratching the surface. The potential of e-mobility will really develop in the next two to three years." In his shaft "scooterhelden berlin" are also E-scooters. But hutfilz is certain that the smaller pedal scooters will outsell them in sales. Why customers are drawn to the e-tretroller? "Because all people go back to their childhoods." When people used to ride their scooters.
Unlike in this country, e-scooters have long been on the road in vienna, copenhagen, paris and american cities. There are lending concepts such as the free-floating principle. This means that the electric scooters can be rented and parked anywhere, similar to car-sharing or e-bike concepts. A number of start-up companies – including lime, bird, voi, and tier – are competing.
The consulting firm boston consulting group estimates the global market potential for e-scooters in 2025 at 40 to 50 billion US dollars (36 to 45 billion euros). Europe accounts for $12 billion to $15 billion of that total, according to a company report.
In german cities, rental companies are already in the starting blocks. Example berlin: "so far, eight providers have declared their intention to offer their fleets," according to the senate administration for transport. "This speaks for a high level of interest."The administration expects several thousand e-scooters to be offered in the capital after the ordinance comes into force and the federal motor transport authority issues a general operating permit.
The berlin-based start-up tier, for example, founded in summer 2018, plans to offer e-tretroller sharing in several german cities starting in june. The fimra did not reveal which ones these are. According to its own information, it is already active in ten countries. The principle is the same everywhere: one euro is charged for using the electric scooter and then 15 cents are added for each additional minute.
The mobility expert at the consulting firm oliver wyman, andreas nienhaus, assumes a sales volume of 3 billion euros in 2020. Provided the regulation is in force. "In general, this is a very rough and attractive market potential and it will grow significantly in the coming years," says nienhaus. The bulk of sales will come from sharing.
Kurt sigl, managing director of the federal association for emobility, emphasizes that the main business will take place in urban areas. An e-scooter could be used for sightseeing or getting from the parking lot to the job.
In addition to the rental concepts, the privately owned e-tretroller will also play a role in the market. The bundesverband elektrokleinstfahrzeuge estimates that at the beginning of this year there will be 20.000 to 25.000 electric scooters. "However, we have observed a strong increase in demand in recent months and also some special promotions in the trade, so it is quite possible that the number of e-tretrollers has doubled in the meantime or is perhaps even higher," it says.
Currently, there are a double-digit number of manufacturers in germany – from start-ups to corporations, the association adds. The automotive group BMW, for example, is paying for it.
Joachim buhler, managing director of the tuv association, is confident about the industry: "we expect e-scooters to spread much faster than e-bikes, for example. Electric scooters have the potential to become one of the most popular means of transport in cities."The market will become more diverse. "There will be simple, inexpensive models that can only be ridden on private flats, and high-end e-scooters with on-board computers, pneumatic tires and high-quality lighting for use on roads and bicycle paths."